Bradley Cooper Says Seeing Vince Vaughn 'Crush It' on Wedding Crashers Set 'Changed Me Forever'

"That was the moment," recalled Bradley Cooper of watching his costar on the set of their hit 2005 comedy

Bradley Cooper Says Watching Vince Vaughn Act in Wedding Crashers ‘Changed Me Forever’
Bradley Cooper and Vince Vaughn in 'Wedding Crashers' (2005). Photo:

Richard Cartwright/New Line/Avery Pix/Kobal/Shutterstock (2)

Bradley Cooper took notes watching Vince Vaughn steal scenes in their 2005 comedy Wedding Crashers.

During a SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations program panel this week, Cooper, 49, was asked to recall a time on set when another actor's craft changed his own process. According to Variety, Cooper listed Vaughn, 53, from their time making Wedding Crashers.

"Up until that point, I was always just trying to get it right on camera, be present and get it right. I’m watching Vince Vaughn destroy a scene, just crush it, and then he wants another take," recalled Cooper.

"It was the scene where the grandmother is shooting him, takes the gun out and he’s running out. He’s just like, 'I want to do another one,' in front of everyone … this huge crew and lights and it’s so nerve-wracking. … And it was his willingness to fail."

Actors Bradley Cooper (L) and Vince Vaughn onstage during the 2013 Spike TV Guys Choice at Sony Pictures Studios on June 8, 2013 in Culver City, California.
Bradley Cooper and Vince Vaughn the 2013 Spike TV Guys Choice on June 8, 2013.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Cooper, who would later go on to do the popular Hangover movies before transitioning to actor-director with A Star Is Born and Maestro, added that he was "just in awe of this human, this man just failing, just willing to try anything."

"At some point he was just scatting and caught onto this thing and was doing this song. I loved seeing it, but clearly it wasn’t working. But it didn’t even matter," he said, per Variety. "It was all of us watching this artist just explore with complete abandon. It was like a diamond through the middle of my head going, 'That’s it! That freedom to just be absolutely willing to fail.' "

Added Cooper, "It changed me forever. That was the moment."

Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in 'Wedding Crashers'.
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in 'Wedding Crashers' (2005).

Richard Cartwright/New Line/Avery Pix/Kobal/Shutterstock

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Wedding Crashers, directed by David Dobkin, starred Vaughn and Owen Wilson with a cast that also included Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher, Christopher Walken and Jane Seymour.

Fisher recently told E! News that she and her costars are "still keen" on making a sequel, nearly 20 years later.

"Fingers crossed we make another one. It'd be such a fun way to all get back together," she said, adding, "There have been conversations where we were pretty close. Vince and Owen have such an incredible chemistry and you just feel it from the screen. It's palpable and it's its own hilarious beast, so I want to see them on camera again doing what they do best."

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